Skip To...
Ever since Kojima stepped into the world of video games, he’s continually added little secrets to his titles. Some pertain to gameplay, while others are just small nods that show you how much he cares when it comes to creating an immersive world for players. As you can imagine, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is no exception when it comes to gameplay details that you might’ve overlooked during your multicontinental journey. Here, we’ve listed 10 of our favorite details we found while hauling cargo through this unique sci-fi world.
1. Camera Person
We all know that Kojima includes a lot of cinematic details in his games. Some can even be considered movies before games if you look at the cutscenes. With that in mind, there’s one detail you might’ve missed while playing Death Stranding 2: On the Beach. In most games, whenever your camera hits a wall or an object, it passes through it. However, the camera of Death Stranding 2 actually collides with objects, such as plants. If you place Sam next to one of these items that move and then turn the camera around, you’ll see how the object reacts, as if someone were filming Sam. Knowing Kojima, we can assume this mysterious person is called “Cameraman” or something similar.
2. Sam Uses Different Water Temperatures Depending on the Zone
This is a neat detail that helps with the continuity and immersion in certain zones. As you are aware, Australia has a diverse range of ecosystems. At first, Sam will start his journey in rocky areas with a mild temperature, but he’ll soon move to arid deserts and freezing mountains. Assuming you take Sam to the shower every time you return from a delivery, you’ll notice how he uses different water temperatures depending on where he is. When in the desert, he’ll only use cold water, and in the mountains, he’ll only use hot water. This doesn’t seem to be an actual gameplay element, but it’s nice to see the level of attention to detail in the game.
3. Sand, Blood, and Tar Details
You might know this already, but there are a lot of things that will stick to Sam’s skin as he does deliveries. From tar to sand, and even snow, these will stay with Sam until he gets into the shower to clean up. However, these effects also disappear if there’s Timefall happening around him. Let’s say someone shoots you and you get all bloody. If it starts raining, it will wash away the blood, making Sam a bit cleaner. You still need to take a shower to remove everything, but it is nice to see that these details go away when it rains.
4. You Can Abandon Your Backpack
Many might already know this, but you’d be surprised to learn that a lot of porters forget that they can abandon their backpacks. The game informs you of this early on, but most players forget to utilize this function or simply prefer not to use it at all. Personally, I don’t like it, as it removes the option to carry cargo on your back. But it is definitely helpful for a stealth situation. All you must do is hold Triangle until Sam puts the backpack down, which will float thanks to Chiral Crystals. Be careful, though, because there are certain spots on the map where NPCs can steal your backpack. So, if you’re going to leave it behind, do it in a safe spot and far away from enemies.
5. Porters Trade Items With You
This is yet another detail that adds depth to the world of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach. Additionally, it is a trophy that can be obtained, so take this entry as a mini-guide to help you achieve it. Once Porters start appearing on the map, you can approach some of them and they will trade items with you. They won’t give you the cargo they are delivering, though. Instead, they’ll offer you combat items, like smoke grenades or blood bags. However, if you take an item from inventory and drop it next to them, they will grab it, thus unlocking the “Porters Make the World Go Round” bronze trophy.
6. You Can Use Jump Ramps Without Vehicles
While the above picture shows Sam happily jumping off a ramp on his bike, did you know you can use them without a vehicle? If you run toward one and use it on foot, Sam will get the effects of this structure. He’ll jump high, and all fall damage will be eliminated until he touches an object on the ground. However, there’s one extra thing you can do while in the air: tricks. There’s a trick system that pops up once Sam is airborne, and he can do some air tricks before landing. It isn’t something that will improve your delivery score, but arriving with style should count for something.
7. Dollman Is Somewhat Useful in Combat
Everyone’s new favorite cast member is more than just someone who’s there to provide exposition. As you know, Dollman is part of your arsenal. Initially, you might only use him for recon purposes, whenever there’s no watchtower or your Odradek can’t tag all enemies. However, you can also use Dollman as a throwable object to briefly stagger enemies. If you throw Dollman straight at a bandit’s face, they will get staggered, which will allow Sam to get a few hits in or escape. While it won’t damage them, it is a good way to put them off balance and let Sam perform any of the new combat moves in the game.
8. There’s a Way To Combine Containers
You might’ve noticed that most material containers come in set amounts like 400, 320, 200, etc. However, there might be situations where you use only a handful of them to restore a road or monorail track, and you’ll end up with five containers of 50 Metals each. When that happens, there’s a way to combine them all into one container. If you press ‘auto-arrange cargo’ on your quick menu, it will assemble all 50 Metal containers into one of 200 or the following available capacities. This is extremely useful for freeing up some of Sam’s backpack space. The weight will be the same, but at least the materials will be a bit more organized.
9. You Can Easily Offload Weapons
You might’ve noticed that Sam’s weapons have different cartridges depending on the gun. Some will have a lot of clips he can load to keep shooting, while others have fewer. Yet, they all eventually run out of ammo, and when that happens, you can either keep them to recycle them later or offload them. If you opt for the latter, there’s a way to get rid of them without going to the quick menu. All you must do is hold down on the D-Pad while aiming your gun to drop the weapon on the spot. This will save you a lot of time and will allow you to continue in the fight without pausing a lot of times just to clear your inventory.
10. Sam Puts Up Gravestones for Animals Who Die During Timefall
This is one of those details I hope some of you never find due to how sad it is, yet it shows how dedicated the Death Stranding 2: On the Beach team is at making this world feel in-depth and impactful. You’ll unlock the ability to rescue animals as you progress through the story. However, if there’s a moment where some animals are near a place where Timefall is about to begin, they will die instantly, unless you manage to get to them first. If Timefall gets them, Sam will get an option to raise a grave on the spot where the animal died. Ideally, you should always look for animals when there’s clear weather, so always use the forecast option before planning your animal-rescuing run.
